Display board



April 16, 1935.

H. H. KRUEGE R DISPLAY BOARD Filed 06%. 2, 1935 Patented Apr. 16, 1935 UNITED STATES I DISPLAY BOARD Herbert H. Krueger, Chicago, 111., asjsignor toldvertising Metal Display 00. Inc., Chicago, 111.,

a corporation of Illinois Application October 2,

11 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in display boards and it consists of the matters hereinafter described and more particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

The boards, with which my invention is more particularly concerned, are especially adapted for the display of articles best presented while in a suspended condition and battery cables, ignition cables, etc. such as found in automobile service stations and accessory establishments, are mentioned as typical articles.

Heretofore in displaying such articles for sale, it was the practice to provide a sheet metal panel to the rear face of which a wood frame was secured and into which there was screwed from the front of the panel, the desired number of cable suspending hooks or hangers. This type of display board had several objections. There were several parts to the complete board so that the board was not only costly to produce but eventually the wood included therein, would dry out and crack. Therefore such a structure was not well adapted to sustain the heavy load of battery cables, ignition cables and the like, displayed thereon.

' One of the objects of the present invention, is

to provide a display board of this kind which does not require wood in its structure and wherein the associated hangers may be readily inserted and quickly and easily locked in place without the aid of tools of any kind.

Another object of the invention is to provide a novel means for detchably securing the hangers in position so that the thrust produced by the supported load is not taken merely by the thin wall of the panel, but is distributed over a considerable area by means carried on the back of the panel and which means may be swung into and out of locking engagement with the hangers.

- A further object of the invention is to provide a display board of this kind wherein the parts thereof may be arranged in a compact knockdown condition, convenient for shipment.

The above mentioned objects of the invention I as well as others, together with the many advantages thereof, will more fully appear as Iproceed with my specification.

In the drawing:

' Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a display board of this kind, embodying the preferred form of my invention.

' Fig. 2 is a fragmentary perspective view on an enlarged scale, relative to the scale of Fig. 1, of a part of the board as observed from the rear, showing at one place a hanger locked in the as- 1933, Serial No. 691.821

sembled positionby'an associated locking element and also showing another of such elements in a position permitting the insertion or removal of the associated hanger.

Fig. 3 is a view in'rear elevation, showing the position of the various parts when in disassembled relation for shipment.

.gFigqi is a detail horizontal'sectional view on a somewhat enlarged scale as taken 'on the line 4-4 of Fig. 2. In general, my improved display board, which is made entirely of metal, includes a rectangular sheet metal front or panel having arearwardly extending rim or flange to giveit stiffness and depth. The flange associated with bottom edge terminates in an upturned shoulder. In the top portion of the panel, openings are provided through which screws or other fastening devices may be inserted to secure the display board to a wallor other surface. e

The'front or panel is provided along its bottom edge with a plurality. of holes and associated with each'pair of theseholes is a U-shaped hanger. The hangers areeach inserted .or assembled in place from the rear of the panel with the parallel legs of each hanger extending forwardly through each'of the two adjacent holes. The legs terminate at their front ends in upturned projections to prevent the cables or other articles suspended thereon from slipping therefrom.

The cross member. of each hanger, when in its assembled position, engages, the bottom flange shoulder. On theback of the panel, and associated witheach hanger, is mounted a locking element. The locking element may be moved into aposition to not only hold the cross member against the. shoulder but also to hold the rear ends of the parallel legs down against the bottom flange. With such an arrangement, the load of the'displayed articles is distributed over a very considerable area-so that the tilting or tipping thrust of the hangers is not'all'imposed upon the thin sheet metal of the panel.

Referring now in detail to that embodiment of the invention, illustrated in the accompanying drawing: v

I indicates as awhole, the sheet metal front or panelv of the display board which is preferably of rectangular shape and has rearwardly extending, integral, top, bottom and end flanges 2, 3 and 44 respectively to not only stiffen the panel but to give it the desired depth. ,The bottom flange is formed to include an upstanding shoulder 5 which extends the full length of the flange,

a diameter approximating that of the holes 8."

Each hanger, which is substantially Uslraped; includes parallel side legs. l0-, l 0 connected together at one end by a cro'ss .pdrtionlfithe mner' end of each leg being turned upwardly as at 12. The side legs of each hanger are spaced apart a distance approximating between-we .fi's-L sociated adjacent holes 8. On the rear side of the panel, andpositioned midway? between the holes of, two adjacent holes 8, is .a hanger locking member It. This member in the .form of a' short .piece of. channel stock that includes side flanges l.l.l4 and a connecting web I5,.the'side flanges. having. a depth approximating that of the flange 3 before mentioned. 1

i Each memberl3 is pivotally. secured at the top end of its:web I5 to the rear surface of the panel i by means of a rivet l6. In the bottom corner of the Ire margin oleach-flarigeis provided a notch H; the purpose or which will soon appear. It is apparent that by means of the structure just above described, eachmember. It may be swung 31 about its pivot l6, inthe plane-.01 panel, from a position wherein said. members stand upright, and parallel with the end flanges I too position inclined with '"respect. thereto, as best shown in Fig 2. when the member 13 standsin the upright position the bottom edge or itsweb and flanges, substantially engages upon the top sur face of the bottomflangeli. 5 To assemble the hangers tin place,.each.lock-v ing element-2131's swung into an as best shownatthe lettzhandendot Thereafter the untamed. endsot each hangat. I are inserted through:two adjacent holes I. from the rear :side of the panel and the hanger is then pushed forwardly .nntil .crossamember it thereof can drop downinfrnnt at the shoulder 8 cross portion. H :otthe :hangerbutalso-t an inside portion thereof. I .The hanger is-thus securely held iniplace locked in positim.m the manner just described. 1.

: When all of .the hangers have and the associated members l3. have into the uprightposition mentioned, the notches e f en a th s ..be l .o e hanger as to prevent .it from .notpnlyf swinging upwardly but also to prevent it from movingl'forwardly, the shoulder 5 preventing rearward movement of' said crossbar.

H In Fig. 1, I have shown as thearticle displayed, a battery cable [8. havingan eye-like terminal l9 at oneend engagedupon'one or the hanger legs. [It will be imders'tood'that'aconsiderable number of such cables or similar articles will be su'spendedffro'm the various hangers; It is apparent thereforaithat a considerable weight is imposed upon the legs at which tends totipth'e hanger about them! aim axis.

This tipping tendency, however, is counteracted or resisted by the engagement of the notches H in the members l3 with the cross bars I I. Thus, each hanger is securely locked in position until it is desired to remove the same. When it is so desired to remove a hanger, its associated member I3 is swung into the angular or inclined po-' sition Shown at the left handend of Fig. 2. The cross member ll'may nowbe liftedup from in front of the shoulder 5, so as to clear the same .when the hanger may be withdrawn rearwardly from the panel.

The board as a whole is adapted for shipment inknocbdowncondition at which time the various hangers gma'y' be enclosed in a draw string bag was shown in Fig. 3 and this bag may be placed upon therear side of the panel. Thus the parts of the board will make a neat rectangular package for shipment, and which package will correspond in shape and size to the panel and its flanges. In this condition the kits or knock-down boards maybe compactly-stacked for storage.

The board though light in weight,- is strong and rigid because the parts are so formed and correlated as to mutually coact in their bracing effects. Furthermore the parts may be-quickly as-. sembled and disassembled without the aid of tools ofanykind.

While in describing the invention, 1;. havereferred in detail to the for n arrangement and construction of the various parts thereof, the to be considered only in the illustrative sense so that I do not wish to be limited thereto except as maybe specifically set forth in the appended claims. a Y V Iclaimasmyinventionz 1, l. A disp board embodying thereinapanel having an opening therein, a hangermemberqpositioned in said opening and having a portion extending rearwardly thereof anda member operatively connected to the rear side of thepanel for movement in a plane parallel to the plane of the panel into positions either to engage the rearwardlyextending portion of the hanger and hold the hanger firmly in position or to release said portion-to permit of theremoval of the hanger from the peach;

d sp yr e d em dy n th in anel. having an pen e ma a er i ud a r on p d o be ns th ou .isa-id opening and a part arranged at an angle to said portion; and a member operativelyconnected to therear s d of th pa o m ement in a an parallelto the plane of the panel into positions either to engage and confine said hanger against movement in; the direction'of the length thereof and against rocking movement or to, release said hanger for removal from the panel. 7 Y r 3. A display board embodying therein apanel having an opening therein, a shoulderspacedto the rear of the panel, a han er including a. le adapted to be inserted through'said opening and a part arranged at'an angle to said'leg and adapti ed to engage against said shoulder, and'a member operatively connected to the rearside of the panel for movement in a plane parallel to the plane of the panel into positions either to hold said hanger part against said shoulder and against an upward movement or to release saidhanger part to permit the removal of the hanger from the panel. I I s 4. A display. board embodying therein a panel having an opening therelma hanger'including aleg adapted to be inserted'through :said opening from therar'otthe' panel and apart arranged at an angle to said leg, and a member pivotally mounted on the rear side of the panel and swingable in a plane parallel to the plane of the panel into a position to engage and confine said hanger part against movement in the direction of the length of the leg and against an upward movement.

5. A display board embodying therein a panel having an opening therein, a shoulder spaced to the rear of the panel, a hanger including a leg adapted to be inserted through said opening and a part arranged at an angle to said leg and adapted to engage against said shoulder, and a member pivotally mounted on the rear side of the panel and swingable into a position to hold said hanger part against said shoulder and against an upward movement.

6. A display board embodying therein a panel having an opening therein, a hanger including a leg adapted to be inserted through said opening and a part arranged at an angle to said leg, and a member mounted on the rear side of the panel and having a recess in one end, said memher being movable into a position so that its recess engages said hanger part and confines the same against movement in the direction of the length of the leg and against an upward movement.

7. A display board embodying therein a panel having two openings therein and a rearwardly spaced shoulder, a hanger comprising legs adapted to be inserted through said openings and a member connecting the rear ends of said legs together, and a member pivoted on the rear side of the panel and swingable into a position to engage and confine said connecting member against said shoulder and against an upward movement.

8. A display board embodying therein a panel having an opening therein, a hanger including a leg adapted to be inserted through said opening and a part arranged at an angle to said leg, a channel-like member mounted for movement on the rear side of the panel and having laterally spaced flanges each with a recess therein and which recesses when said member has been moved into one position are adapted to partially embrace and to confine said hanger part in the desired position.

9. A display board embodying therein a panel having a rearwardly extending bottom flange that terminates in an upturned shoulder spaced rearwardly from said panel, said panel having a hole therein above said flange, a. hanger having a leg extending through said opening and having an angular part engaged against said shoulder, and means for securing said angular part in position against said shoulder.

10. A display board embodying therein a panel having a rearwardly extending bottom flange that terminates in an upturned shoulder spaced rearwardly from said panel, said panel having a hole therein above said flange, a hanger having a leg extending through said opening and having an angular part engaged against said shoulder, and a member mounted on the rear side of the panel and movable into a position for securing said angular part in position against said shoulder.

11. A display board embodying therein a panel having a rearwardly extending bottom flange that terminates in an upturned shoulder spaced rearwardly from said panel, said panel having a plurality of holes therein, a hanger having a plurality of legs each extending through an associated hole and connected together at the rear ends by a cross member engaged against said shoulder, and a member mounted on the rear side of the panel and movable into a position securing said cross member against said shoulder.

HERBERT H. KRUEGER. 

